The Blue Dragon
by TheGirlwithaPin
Summary: For every journey, there is a cause. One must be displaced from the rhythm of ordinary life, to find the true meaning of life. A series of oneshots and drabbles, firenation centric. Pre LOK and current lok, eventual including of team avatar. Slightly au, as book 4 isn't upon us yet.
1. Cause

A series of one shot/ drabbles pre and during Legend of Korra. Eventual inclusion of Team Avatar, may be au to book 4. Based off of writing prompts from tumblr. I dont own any characters except for ones I make.

The Blue Dragon

Cause

_"She knew how to put one foot in front of the other even when they hurt. And she knew there was pain in the journey, but there was also great beauty."_  
_Veronica Rossi, Under the Never Sky (via soulsscrawl)_

* * *

Cries of a newborn child fill the air, the father bursting inside the room where his wife holds his newborn daughter.

Full head of jet black hair, silver eyes like an ancestor on his side, she was beautiful. The couple's two year old son stumbled in, shying away from his new sister.

Reza chuckled and his son's reaction.

_What are you gonna name_ _her_?

Reza shares a look with his wife, a firebender with the fire of her soul in her eyes. He met Liara at a firebending festival, and they have never separated since. It was a happy marriage filled with love, yet the economic crisis on their hands was getting to them.

Also the fact that the rebellion was ransacking villages.

And that their son, Killian, showed no promise of bending fire at all.

_I think Zarra, after your mother, Reza._

Reza knew that he was a nonbender, and he loved his son, yet seeing his daughter, he just knew.

She would be a firebender.

* * *

They watched as Killian and Zarra played, tackling each other in their yard. Liara smiled at their closeness, how she could see the bonds that shaped her children's lives.

Reza took to training their children the purpose of control and patience, and watched as he taught them self defense, and practiced sword and staff fighting.

Zarra was a very observant child, for she spent hours watching her parents firebend with the soldiers. One day, a blue flame appeared in the palm of her hand, and her brother changed.

Reza and Liara were overjoyed, and Zarra quickly progressed through her training. Attaining a very talented mastery of firebending, she kept her shy and gentle personailty, but was quite skilled with her katana sword passed down throughout the generations. From firebender to firebender.

* * *

Killian was less than happy for his sister, for he started to eye just getting her out of the way.

There was a waterfall with a huge, winding river with strong currents. No one really knew exactly where it ended. Zarra always hated water. She never liked it, but she never feared anything before.

It happened when she was 16, her brother about to enter the United Forces. She had let her jet black hair grow to her waist, and her silver eyes reflected her pale skin. She always had her katana with her, and kept it strapped to her body. Zarra also hid the firebending scar on her thigh. She was just hiking with her brother when they rested by the waterfall, sening the change in the air, sister turned towards brother, as hepainfully gripped her shoulders and flung her over the water fall. His controted face of anger and suppressed rage would be with her the rest of her life, as would her shocked and mostly betrayed look ingrained into him. Her body was swept by the currents, which she fought against until her strength ebbed from her, fate tied with the spirits.

Killian watched for a minute, his hands clenched and feeling an undescribable gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

Her screams echoed through his life. Tearing at the sanity of his mind.

He returned to his parents, her silver eyes watching him.

Reza and Liara colapsed in grief, pain for their daughter's supposed death. Liara felt a small peice of dread that Killian was lying that she fell, yet she kept her wondering silent was they tried to move on.

* * *

She could barely move, her clothes torn up by the rocks, her hair ragged and many, many bruises, scraps, cuts and mostly, water. The beach surround her, and after a while, she managed to sit up, coughing out the water in her lungs, and shakily stood up, unsheathing her katana, the only tie to her family left.

She could never go back, that she knew. For her brother, the one she trusted with her life, betrayed her.

Attempted to kill her. But really, he killed a part of her that she wasn't sure could come back, ever. Love. Trust.

Zarra hobbled off the beach, hands shaking as she tried to forget the water.

She couldn't stop to wonder how she was alive.

* * *

She managed to get to the Fire Naton Capital, where a kind old woman named Ni gave her new clothes and helped Zarra recover. She was in Harbor City, which harbored the poverty striken citizens and criminals. Gangs as well.

Zarra put on her black jacket and pulled the strap that held her katana on her back. She breifly touched the handle and left Ni's restarunt and inn.

Zarra took a route with many people in it to avoid getting in the middle of the gang turf wars right now. It was a celebration of sorts today, and Former Fire Lord Zuko was meeting with citizens at the Harbor City Square to talk about improving the life and conditions in the slums. People were auditioning to the Fire Lord their firebending skills so that they could swing the man to their gang faction side.

Meaning that all out chaos was going to unleash itself.

She never thought much of the Fire Lord, only that he helped end the greed and hubris that empowered the Fire nation to commit genocide.

Firebending wasn't about fueling anger and hate, it was about controlling life.

Zarra seemed to be the only one with that philosphy.

The square was packed with people. A stage stood with the Firelord's symbols and decorations, the red flags waving in the wind, the Fire Nation Flames almost alive. She inhaled, then exhaled towards the line where firebenders stood to show Zuko's gaurds their talent so that they might see him before the conference. As the line moved forward, the tension in the air grew heavier as each of the canidates were refused. The two main gangs, Crimson Eagle Hawks and Azure Tiger Monkeys were getting close to their boiling point. Zarra wasn't affiliated with either gang, having no interest, so members of both gangs glared at her as she waited for the gaurds to admit her in.

_You shouldn't be here._

_Yeah, don't want a weakling like you getting hurt._

They laughed at her, continuing to taunt her. Zarra just ignored them to the best she could. She didn't wish to be brash.

Inhale. Exhale. Going to be fine. Maybe.

The group stepped closer to her, one with his regular flames ready, underestimating her completely. As he punched fire at her, Zarra absorbed the flames in her palms while dodging, executing a fluid circular motion to redirect his fire back to him. Once he stepped back, the group went to converge on her, so she inhaled a breath of air, calmed herself of anger, and exhaled a breath of blue fire, causing the gang members to cry out, and the crowd stunned to silence in awe. Before they fled, Zuko's gaurds handcuffed the gang members, and the gaurds told the crowd that the conference is to start now. They stared at her as she went back to join the crowd. She was just trying to survive, nothing more than that.

The Fire Lord's carriage came to a stop, and the crowd was whispering, no applause when he emerged and stepped to the podium. He was tall, and his hair was white, along with his beard. He wore traditional Fire Lord robes, his blood red cloak flapping in the breeze as he spoke of how he promised to improve the quality of life.

_Violence is not the answer. I thought of that once. That Violence, that killing the Avatar was the anwser._

_It is not. I will restore peace to Harbor City! I wish to create harmony for this city for everyone to not live like the lower ring in Ba Sing Se. I will help you, if you are willing. _He bows to the citizens, and leaves after some time, confused by the silence and whispers of the people, void of happiness.

It unsettled him.

Zarra slipped away from the square before the Fire Lord left, for she noticed the stares and whispers about the blue dragon.

If they called her that she would be a target. She shook her head and headed back to Ni's, preparing to leave as Zarra didn't want to endanger her.

They said goodbye. Ni gave the teen, now 17, a medallion passed from her ancestors. Zarra went to refuse the gift, yet Ni looked her in the eye and persisted:

_My children were killed. I have no one left that I consider closer than you, Zarra. I'm greatful that you showed up at my door, young one. Thank you._

_Thank you, for everything, Ni... Goodbye_.

Once she left Ni's place, Zarra traversed the streets until she found a solid bench to sleep on that night. Looking at the stars, she couldn't help but wonder about her parents.

_I hope they're alright_.

She fell asleep on the bench with a journal on her lap titled 'Ideas to Change the World'.

* * *

The sun barely rose when Zarra awoke, stomach growling.

With no yuan at all.

She decided to ignore her hunger, as she'd been through a near death experience with her brother, and stretched, relief when her joints righted themselves in place. Zarra went into a waterfountain and cupped some water in her hands, washing her face. She went to the middle of the suare, where most of the people passed through, and found a space for herself. She let out a blue fire in her palm, staring at it as the sun rose and people went their ways.

_Hey_.

Zarra looked up in surprise, where a little girl no more than ten stared at her with wide eyes.

You're the one _who scared the gangs away?_ Zarra stared at the noble clothes the girl wore, not from around here, and a boy who arrived, his clothes too big and tattered.

_Can you show us? Can you show us? Please._

Zarra looked at them with a smile in her eyes. She never liked seeing children so hopeless, the boy reminded her of her present, the girl with what her future could have been.

_Of_ _Course_. Zarra stood up.

_Stay_ _back_, _okay_? They nodded and complied.

Inhale.

Exhale.

She put herself into her stance position. Zarra learned it in a dream, where a man taught her how to dance like a dragon in flowing moves. She willed her fire, and blue burstes from her hands as her spun and executed a sequence of moves, attraching a crowd of people when she ended her show with a breath of blue fire towards the sky.

They were stunned. And there was cheering, something that hadn't been heard in Harbor City for a very long time.

_That was amazing! _The girl smiled.

_How did you do that_? The boy tugged on her coat sleeve. Zarra wondered how to answer that. How do I approch this? She wondered she was trying to stay unnoticable, but her resovle caught her by surprise.

Once it was only the three of them, Zarra explained truthfully of her answer.

M_ost of us believe that it is our anger and hate that leads us to firebend, that our physical strength and force will make us superior. That is not the source of firebending. The source of fire comes from within, the belief that it is not anger and hate, but compassion and love that is the true source of fire. Believe in life, and make yourself an equal to all other people. _

_It doesn't matter of air, the freedom, earth, the strong and fomidable, or water, the element of change and time. All are balanced and created equal, until we believe that any element is superior to the others. The Avatar is the peacekeeper, the balance between all four elements, and by bending each one is what keeps the world from falling into chaos._

_Think of fire as life. Not power or a tool. Think of fire as the compassion inside you, and I'm sure you'll be a great person someday._

* * *

The sun rose to its highest peak at noon, and Zarra was alone. The children left a while ago, taking the words she spoke and keeping them in their memories. The carriage rolled to a stop in front of her as Zarra looked up is surprise as Fire Lord Zuko, white hair and beard and all, stood in front of her. Zarra stood quickly and bowed, then met the firelord's eyes.

_Your name?_

_Zarra, Lord_ _Zuko_. He regarded her quiet manner.

_You bend using blue fire?_

_Yes, have been all my life._

He fiddled with his hands, a bit nervous at the propose that he would ask of her. Zuko finally let it out, just hopeful of what he could do to help her.

_I wish to have your insight, and I want to help you, Zarra._

He watched as her eyes light up, catching the glimpse of hope.

_I am honored._

He motioned to the carriage, and Zarra followed him inside, starting a new path, forgetting, just for a moment, her pain with each step.


	2. Effect

A/N: I loved awkward Zuko so much, and um, yeah, the next chapter will be longer than this. Please review! And send prompts!

The Blue Dragon

Effect

_"Let's just pretend I said something funny instead of awkward and personal."_

* * *

Her eyes couldn't take in the excess of everything as they entered. Zuko watched how she silently observed as they traversed the hallways. He tried to discribe each and every room to her, and she took a mental note of the key details for the individual rooms.

He motioned her into a suite, and Zarra stared at the fireplace, the queen sized bed that she couldn't wait to sleep in, yet it was the closet and bathroom that she gasped.

_Never in my life have I thought of being...this lucky._

_Well, I'm happy to accommodate you._

_I'll... Let you get ready.__.. I'll see you at dinner, Zarra_. Zuko awkwardly excused himself, slightly uncomfortable.

Zarra hopped into the shower, taking her time. She stood in front of the huge closet filled with abundant outfits and dresses. Zarra clucked her tounge in indescison.

She just didn't know what to wear, as she wasn't girly, nor knew anything about the current fashions, much less Fire Lord acceptable.

Groaning, Zarra blindly reached into the depths of dresses, taking out a black fading to bright embery red sheath dress, that was adorned with a high collar with gold trimming, and a diamond shaped keyhole. Sleeveless.

As soon as she tried it on and looked in the mirror, she felt unreal. Zarra never knew she would experience anything like this. Never in her dreams would she even predict this.

Reality helped her strike the earth hard when the pain came back. Betrayal. Water. Loss of trust. Struggling to stay alive as the currents draged her to almost certain death.

She shook her head to force out the painful recollection of the ordeal, and she continued to attempt to make herself presentable.

Zarra managed with some practiced, light makeup, lipgloss and mascara, and pinned her hair so that her face was clear, twisting some of it into a braid down her spine, yet leaving the rest of it down. She didn't know if her hairstyle was even respectable for fire nation royalty customs.

She placed her katana on the bed, along with the medalion, and met Former Fire Lord Zuko for dinner.

The Great Hall was where they met, and he greeted her, apprasing her dress.

_Zarra, you sure do know how to dress for the occasion!_

_I'm flattered, Zuko, thank you._

As they ate, Zuko asked her questions about how Harbor City was from the inside, and she explained that the citizens there had lost hope on improving their lives.

The conversation switched over to the Fire Lord asking Zarra about herself.

_Do you have family?_

_No, I do not._ It was as close to the truth that she could get to.

_I'm... sorry. I didn't know._ He looked at her in sympathy, and she replied

_How could you have known? It is not your fault, but I do not wish to speak of it further. I know that your father scarred you, and that your sister was mentally... insecure. so for that, I apologize, but we are both alike in that regard._

They talked for a while, avoiding the sore topic of the past, until Zarra went to bed having a dreamless sleep.


	3. Doubt

A/N this is a drabble, and by every sense of the word. This is intended to be filled out in a somewhat cannon way. Please review to tell me if you like it :-)

The Blue Dragon

Doubt

"You're doubting my abilities yet again. I don't know how you manage to do that so often in so little time"

* * *

Zarra liked the training room. The fireproof maniquins, and Zuko's teachings helped her to become a lot stronger than before living at Ni's. Zuko and Zarra came to have a friendship, and she looked up to him as her grandfather as well. Not to mention that he could still hold his own in a firebending duel. One time it happened, how she quickly conteracted his firekick with a jump into the air, landing behind him.

Turning, she let out a breath of blue flame from her mouth, causing him to move back, and them ending the match.

At nights they spoke conversations of the city, the Avatar, and Yakone. They spoke of the past, sometimes skipping over parts unsaid, and learning of Azula's blue firebending. One night, Zuko spoke of his grandson, who Zarra grew interested in by how he talked fondly of him.

_Iroh is named after my uncle. He is just like his namesake, strong, humble and loyal to his friends. He's a great leader, and he commands the first division of the United Forces._

_How old is he?_

_Twentyfive. He's quite the accomplished firebender, if I say myself._ The former Fire Lord chuckles to himself.

_You taught him, I guess._ Zarra grinned.

_That's probably why he's so accomplished, and the youngest general in the United Forces._

Yes, you are very observant, Zarra.

_But what about... your sister? I know that its a sore subject but is she-_

_alive? Yes she is, and she has grown to like Iroh, and is somewhat tolerant of me. Her prision is more accommodating._

_And yes, Iroh is coming tomorrow._

_Okay_.

They continued to talk for a while, and then the day rolled past again, she practiced, and excelled. He never in the first place doubted her abilities, and never would so ever.

* * *

That evening the general arrived, casually striding into the dining hall. His hair was immaculte, and an aura of authority and power surrounded him. He was tall, and once he noticed his grandfather, he grinned.

_Grandfather_! They embraced, hugging the breath out of each other.

_I am happy that you are back home, Iroh. _

_As am I._

Iroh stared at the young woman beside his grandfather, her silver eyes locked with his gold ones.

She bowed slightly.

_General Iroh, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Zarra._

He smiled and kissed her hand, then standing.

_Zarra, it is my pleasure to meet you._

_And please, call me Iroh._

Zuko grew misty eyed staring at them, the memories rushing back to him, calmly he suggested,

_Tea?_

_Yes please. _


	4. The Room

_AN: short one again! I need more prompts! So tell me some, and you everyone for reading!_

_The Blue Dragon_

_The Room_

_"Judging by that look on your face, I'd say you saw the Room."_

One night (or early morning, it was too hard to tell) Zarra had trouble with sleeping, turning and restless by the sinking feeling in her limbs. She decided that she could try and get into the training room. She thought that she went into the right room, but mistakably went into the room.

She coughed when she breathed in the dust, and as the room was pitch black, it did nothing to help her at all. Zarra calmly lit a blue flame in her palm to be able to see, and the errie ligh in the room reflected off of the portraits of the previous firelords.

Azulon, Ozai, and Sozin looked menacingly in the blue glow of the room, and she exhaled an uncertain breathe that she instinctively held.

Why are they here?

Zuko must have not wanted to reminded of his past, how his father... Well, Zuko didn't have the best ancestors, at all.

Zarra backed out of the room step by step, and slowly turned the door knob until she was back in the hallway.

_Judging by that look on your face, I'd say you saw the Room._

She whipped her gaze upwards in the direction of the voice and came face to face with General Iroh leaning on the doorway opposite to her.

_Oh! Its just you._

_I didnt mean to scare you, but it seems that neither of us sleep well._

_That is true, Iroh._

_Would you like some tea, Zarra._

_If I'm not intruding, then of course, Gen- I mean Iroh._

He invited her into his room, and quickly made up some jasmine tea. She sat on the chair while they made some small talk.

The sun rose eventually as they conversed.

_Zarra?_

_Yes?_

_I would like to be friends, if you would allow it._

_Allow it?_

_I'm not the greatest at words, Zarra._

_Yeah, sure. We can be friends._

_I should go, and thank you for the tea, Iroh._

_No problem, and don't worry about the room._

_But, why were they there?_

_That is for another time, friend. I can have someone else i know explain why the room came to be to you._

_Alright, I'll take your word for it._

She left the general's room with a slight smile on her face, grateful for a friend.


End file.
